Air-cooled vehicle-tire



T. C.-WATKINS.

AIR COOLED VEHICLE TIRE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.28, 1919.

Patented Dec. 16, 1919.

* m /Q/Mlamfw Unire srnirns THOMAS C. WATKINS, OF INGRAM, PENNSYLVANIA.

AIR-COOLED VEHICLE-TIRE.

LEZ-4,94

Application filed August 28, 1919.

To all Awhom t may Concern Be it known that l, THOMAS C. lVirrKiNs, a citizen of the United States, residing at Ingram, in the county ot Allegheny, .State of Pennsylvania, have invent-ed certain new and useful Improvements in Air-Cooled Vehicle-Tires; and l do hereby declare J'he following to be a full, clear, and exact description ot the invention, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the ligures ot reference marked thereon, which torni a part ol this specification.

This invention relates to an improvement in air-cooled vehicle tires, and more particularly to that lass ot tires used in connection with automobile Wheels, and the invention consists in forming within the body of the tire, spaced at regular intervals, a series of chambers, the one separated from the other, to give the tire the pro ier resiliency and With vent openings Jfor air circulation leading therefrom, also, each chamber provided with a rubber core to give support to the tread portion ot the tire, the said supports being` formed trom rubber having a greater coetlicient ot elasticity than that ot the tread or" the tire. The invention further consists in so proportioning the partition Wallg separating the one chamber from the other, in such manner, as to give the proper degree ot' support to the tread portion ot' the tire. The invention 'further consists in the arrangement and location ot the air veins and their exit openings, and the invention still further consists in the certain details et construction and combination ot parts, as will be fully described hereinutter.

ln the accompanying drawings:-

Figure l is a side sectional elevation ol" a vehicle Wheel, partly in elevation, shoiving my improved tire litted thereon, the said tire beingl constructed and arranged in accordance with my invention, and

Fig. '2 is a tull sized cross-sectional view of the tire, said section taken through one ot' the chambers.

To construct an air-cooled vehicle tire in accordance with my invention and adapt the same for automobile and other wheels, said Wheels each comprising a hub l, spokes Q, and telly 3, such as are noiv in common use, l first provide a tire holder, annular in form and of a suitable cast metal, and shrink the same about the periphery ot the telly 3, in a manner Well Specification of Letters Patent.

vehicle Patent-.ed Dec. 1c, 1,919. seriai No. 320,410.

known in the art. This holder 4, comprises an annular ring having at spaced intervals corresponding to the spaced chambers of the tire, outWardly-extending flanges 7, to support the inside Walls of the tire.l Between each pair ot these flanges 7, integral with the holder i, is a boss l0, having a threaded orifice, used as a means of attaching the threaded shank ot a table l1. One of these tables is arranged central of each of the air- Y chambers ot the tire 17. Centrally located and about the periphery of the telly 3, is a shallow eircumterential groove forming an air-duct l5, which communicates with ducts 5 formed in each spoke 2 of the Wheel, said ducts 5, extend from the outer ends of the spokes iinvardly to Within a short distance of the hub l, and communicate With the outside at-mosphere by means of transverse exits (i. Each threaded shank of the tables l1, is formed with an air-duct 12, and exit ll, said duct l2, communicating With the circumferential groove l5, of the telly 3. This arrangement of air-ducts Will permit the cool air from the outside to freely enter the chambers, and 'the highly heated air within to escape therefrom, as Will be hereinafter described.

rhe tire comprises a cylindrical piece ot rubber 17, bent in circular form and divided into a series of chambers 20, the one separated from the other by a partition Wall 2l ot the same material, each ot said chambers being open toward the center ot the Wheel. Formed central of each chamber 20, opposite to the inner opening of the same, and ot the same material as the tire and integral therewith, is a flat-faced boss 22, to which is attached an inWardly-eXtending core 23,' the division being indicated by the broken line 23. This core is preferably shaped in the form ot' a trustum ot a cone, the small end inward, and is fixed in place by the process of vulcanization, the art of Which is Well known in the trade. These conicalshaped pieces 23, are made of rubber having a greater coellicient of elasticity than that ot the tire 17, and answer the purpose of supporting springs When the tire is taxed beyond its ordinary carrying capacity.

The tire proper, consists ot' a corded, rubber shoe, built up in any preferred manner, having the usual outwardly-projecting, circumferential beads 18, and is held in position by ring clamps 8, and transverse bolts lo, passing through the said ring plates and through the telly 3. Each ot these plates 8, is torined with eoncaved beads 9, adapted to tit neatly about the beaded portion ot the rings, and hold the tire rigidly in position.

The above-described tire when in use, will give the proper resiliency necessary tor the wheels ot n'iotor-driven vehicles, such as automobiles, auto trucks, Sac. lt is well known when this class ot tires are in use they cquire a high temperature. This temperature is etteetually overcome by this construction ot tire, as the wheel when in motion, by reason ot its load and the compression or partial collapse ot the chambers, the air will be discharged andreplaced in rapid sucression by reason ot the elastic nature ot the rubber construction, the heated air passing ont ot the chambers and the cold air siphoned in, thereby torming an air-cooled tire.

rlhe location ot the exposed exits or entrance ducts 6, being remote trom the tread ot the tire 17, will ettectually prevent the entrance ot mud, water, ete., into said duets or into the air chambers il).

Having thus described my invention, I claim l. The combination ot a vehicle wheel comprising hollow spokes and telly, a cir cuinterential groove toi-ming an air passage about the periphery ot said telly, air ducts tormed in said hollow spokes leading trom points near the hub and in communication with said groove, a tire holder attached to said telly, a built up tubular tire held in position by said holder, a series ot spaced air chambers termed within the body ot said tire, a centrally-located rubber block within each ot said chambers arranged to leave a surrounding air space, said blocks placed opposite to and tree trom the tire holder and forming a part ot the tire proper, and air ducts entering each otl said chambers communicating with the circumterential groove torined in the telly.

2. The combination ot a vehicle wheel comprisingI hollow spokes and telly, a circuinterential groove torming an air passage about the periphery ot said telly, air duets torined in said hollow spokes leading trom points near the hub and in communication with said groove, a tire holder attached to said telly, a built up tubular tire held in position by said holder, a series ot spaced ,air chambers termed within the body ot said tire, a centrally-located rubber block within each ot said chambers arranged to leave a surrounding air spare, said blocks termed trom a rubber having a greater co eiiieient or ratio ot elasticity than that ot the body ot the tire, said blocks being at tached to and torining a part ot the tire proper and tree trom Contact withA said tire holder, and air ducts entering each ot said chambers communicating with the eircumterential groove termed in the telly.

In testimony whereot aiiix my signature in the presence ot two witnesses.

THOMAS C. VATKINS. lVitnesses M. E. HARRISON, HARRY C. MENDEL. 

